OpenClaw, analyzed

OpenClaw is the open-source AI agent that runs on your own computer or server and that you message from WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord and other chat apps. These ten guides look at it from every side that matters before you install it, each with a calculator, checklist or chart you can work with.

Updated Oct 20, 2026 · Prices in US dollars, checked at each provider

1. 01What is OpenClaw? How the self-hosted AI agent works (2026)OpenClaw explained: the Gateway, the agent loop, memory, heartbeat, skills and chat channels, with a diagram that follows one message through the system.
2. 02OpenClaw vs Hermes Agent: which AI agent should you run? (2026)Hermes Agent or OpenClaw? Security defaults, memory, skills, channels, hosting and usage compared from each project's docs, plus a quiz that suggests a fit.
3. 03How much does OpenClaw cost to run? Monthly calculator (2026)OpenClaw is free; the model and server aren't. Work out your monthly bill by model, messages and heartbeat, and see what drives OpenClaw's token use.
4. 04Best model for OpenClaw (2026): price, tool use and safetyOpenClaw's docs say to use the strongest model you can for agents with tools. What that costs, which models top its list, what users route and how to switch.
5. 05Where to run OpenClaw: VPS, Mac mini, Pi or managed (2026)OpenClaw's system requirements, then your own computer, a Mac mini, a Raspberry Pi, a VPS and managed hosts compared on cost and upkeep, as of October 2026.
6. 06Is OpenClaw safe? Security risks and a hardening checklist (2026)Is OpenClaw safe? What its defaults protect and what they don't, its CVE record, exposed instances and malicious skills, plus a hardening checklist.
7. 07OpenClaw skills and ClawHub: what's there, how to vet one (2026)What OpenClaw skills are, how ClawHub scans them, what malicious-skill research found, the most-downloaded skills, and a checklist to vet one before installing.
8. 08OpenClaw with local models: Ollama, GPUs and when it pays (2026)Run OpenClaw on a local model with Ollama, LM Studio or llama.cpp: the memory and context it needs, NVIDIA's NemoClaw, the security trade-off and the cost.
9. 09OpenClaw alternatives in 2026: Hermes, NanoClaw, Claude and moreThe best OpenClaw alternatives by need: Hermes Agent, NanoClaw, NemoClaw, IronClaw, hosted options, Claude and ChatGPT Work, in a table you can filter.
10. 10The rise and fall of OpenClaw: a timeline in data (2026)Who created OpenClaw, who owns it now and why interest fell: a sourced timeline from Clawdbot to the foundation, with US search and GitHub star data.